A question for next time this happens

Last weekend, one of the PC's in my network (it is an HP Pavilion
running Vista Home Premium) developed a very odd problem.
My solution was to reload from the recovery partition and that
has fixed the problem (obviously).

The issue was that dispite having a stable connection to the network
via wireless (i.e MSN Messenger and Weather Eye were both working),
no web sites would load. I tried both IE and Firefox but to no
avail. Turning off AV and Firewall (not the Windows firewall)
did not help.

Reloading should be (IMHO) a last resort, but this made no sense.
My connection was stable, and the "Diagnose connection problems"
via IE did not show me any problems.

So my question to the Vista gurus is: Where and what can I look
for if I see this again? Spyware/Malware is always a possibility,
but would they cause NO web pages to load?



--
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Do you want to be a cranky geek? http://www.crankygeeks.com/
Improving usenet: http://improve-usenet.org/
Mepis32 RLU #451587i,Vista and MacOSX

JohnTheGeek wrote:

> Last weekend, one of the PC's in my network (it is an HP Pavilion
> running Vista Home Premium) developed a very odd problem.
> My solution was to reload from the recovery partition and that
> has fixed the problem (obviously).
>
> The issue was that dispite having a stable connection to the network
> via wireless (i.e MSN Messenger and Weather Eye were both working),
> no web sites would load. I tried both IE and Firefox but to no
> avail. Turning off AV and Firewall (not the Windows firewall)
> did not help.
>
> Reloading should be (IMHO) a last resort, but this made no sense.
> My connection was stable, and the "Diagnose connection problems"
> via IE did not show me any problems.
>
> So my question to the Vista gurus is: Where and what can I look
> for if I see this again? Spyware/Malware is always a possibility,
> but would they cause NO web pages to load?

One of the prime reasons for loss of Internet connectivity in Windows
machines is malware.

Malke
--
MS-MVP
Elephant Boy Computers - Don't Panic!
FAQ - http://www.elephantboycomputers.com/#FAQ

One thing you do notice about Malware, spyware, etc, is that although it
slows down your computer, a lot of it still tries to get you on to the Net to
buy something to supposedly eradicate it!

Just to add to your Security, have a look at the programs below.

http://www.spybot.info/en/index.html

Spybot Search & Destroy 1.6 is a very good, FREE Anti-Spyware Program.
Download, install, update, and immunize your System with it.
Then SCAN with it.
Update it, and scan your System once a fortnight.

http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/spywareblaster.html

SpywareBlaster 4.1 is a non-intrusive, FREE Anti-Spyware Program (no
scanning by you!).
SpywareBlaster prevents the installation of many so-called spyware, adware
and malware programs by disabling the CLSIDs of popular spyware ActiveX
controls, and also prevents the installation of any of them via a webpage
Update it once a fortnight.

http://www.malwarebytes.org/mbam.php

Malwarebytes is as the name says, a Malware Remover!
For the Free version scroll down their page to either download from
Download.com, or Major Geeks.com

Download, install, and update.

--
Mad Mike


"JohnTheGeek" wrote:

> Last weekend, one of the PC's in my network (it is an HP Pavilion
> running Vista Home Premium) developed a very odd problem.
> My solution was to reload from the recovery partition and that
> has fixed the problem (obviously).
>
> The issue was that dispite having a stable connection to the network
> via wireless (i.e MSN Messenger and Weather Eye were both working),
> no web sites would load. I tried both IE and Firefox but to no
> avail. Turning off AV and Firewall (not the Windows firewall)
> did not help.
>
> Reloading should be (IMHO) a last resort, but this made no sense.
> My connection was stable, and the "Diagnose connection problems"
> via IE did not show me any problems.
>
> So my question to the Vista gurus is: Where and what can I look
> for if I see this again? Spyware/Malware is always a possibility,
> but would they cause NO web pages to load?
>
>
>
> --
> Do you twitter? http://twitter.com
> Do you want to be a cranky geek? http://www.crankygeeks.com/
> Improving usenet: http://improve-usenet.org/
> Mepis32 RLU #451587i,Vista and MacOSX
>

The next time this happens post a question here with the details. Someone
here can help you troubleshoot to find the cause. There are many reasons why
this could happen. Without performing some basic troubleshooting all anyone
can do is guess. My guess would be malware.

--
Kerry Brown
MS-MVP - Windows Desktop Experience: Systems Administration
http://www.vistahelp.ca/phpBB2/
http://vistahelpca.blogspot.com/


"JohnTheGeek" <> wrote in message
news:gdmvrc$kdf$...
> Last weekend, one of the PC's in my network (it is an HP Pavilion
> running Vista Home Premium) developed a very odd problem.
> My solution was to reload from the recovery partition and that
> has fixed the problem (obviously).
>
> The issue was that dispite having a stable connection to the network
> via wireless (i.e MSN Messenger and Weather Eye were both working),
> no web sites would load. I tried both IE and Firefox but to no
> avail. Turning off AV and Firewall (not the Windows firewall)
> did not help.
>
> Reloading should be (IMHO) a last resort, but this made no sense.
> My connection was stable, and the "Diagnose connection problems"
> via IE did not show me any problems.
>
> So my question to the Vista gurus is: Where and what can I look
> for if I see this again? Spyware/Malware is always a possibility,
> but would they cause NO web pages to load?
>
>
>
> --
> Do you twitter? http://twitter.com
> Do you want to be a cranky geek? http://www.crankygeeks.com/
> Improving usenet: http://improve-usenet.org/
> Mepis32 RLU #451587i,Vista and MacOSX

Possible problem with your Host file?
Dave


"JohnTheGeek" <> wrote in message
news:gdmvrc$kdf$...
> Last weekend, one of the PC's in my network (it is an HP Pavilion
> running Vista Home Premium) developed a very odd problem.
> My solution was to reload from the recovery partition and that
> has fixed the problem (obviously).
>
> The issue was that dispite having a stable connection to the network
> via wireless (i.e MSN Messenger and Weather Eye were both working),
> no web sites would load. I tried both IE and Firefox but to no
> avail. Turning off AV and Firewall (not the Windows firewall)
> did not help.
>
> Reloading should be (IMHO) a last resort, but this made no sense.
> My connection was stable, and the "Diagnose connection problems"
> via IE did not show me any problems.
>
> So my question to the Vista gurus is: Where and what can I look
> for if I see this again? Spyware/Malware is always a possibility,
> but would they cause NO web pages to load?
>
>
>
> --
> Do you twitter? http://twitter.com
> Do you want to be a cranky geek? http://www.crankygeeks.com/
> Improving usenet: http://improve-usenet.org/
> Mepis32 RLU #451587i,Vista and MacOSX

On 2008-10-22, FiOS Dave <> wrote:
> Possible problem with your Host file?
> Dave

I never thought to check that. I changed the host file on that laptop
a few days ago, but it was still working then. What is in the wild
that could modify the hosts file when it needs to be edited as
admin? I know there's stuff out there that can modify the host
file but doesn't it have to either disable UAC or become admin?



--
Do you twitter? http://twitter.com
Do you want to be a cranky geek? http://www.crankygeeks.com/
Improving usenet: http://improve-usenet.org/
Mepis32 RLU #451587i,Vista and MacOSX

On 2008-10-22, mikeyhsd <> wrote:
>
> delete your IE cache and history and maybe even cookies and see if it =
> helps.
>
> works sometimes.

Did that, no dice.
>
>
>
>

--
Do you twitter? http://twitter.com
Do you want to be a cranky geek? http://www.crankygeeks.com/
Improving usenet: http://improve-usenet.org/
Mepis32 RLU #451587i,Vista and MacOSX

On 2008-10-22, Kerry Brown <*a*m> wrote:
> The next time this happens post a question here with the details. Someone
> here can help you troubleshoot to find the cause. There are many reasons why
> this could happen. Without performing some basic troubleshooting all anyone
> can do is guess. My guess would be malware.
>

Point taken. I did do a fair amount of stuff before I did the reset but
next time, I will post here and see if anyone can recommend less drastic
steps.

--
Do you twitter? http://twitter.com
Do you want to be a cranky geek? http://www.crankygeeks.com/
Improving usenet: http://improve-usenet.org/
Mepis32 RLU #451587i,Vista and MacOSX

On 2008-10-22, J Taylor <> wrote:
>
> "JohnTheGeek" <> wrote in message
> news:gdmvrc$kdf$...
>> Last weekend, one of the PC's in my network (it is an HP Pavilion
>> running Vista Home Premium) developed a very odd problem.
>> My solution was to reload from the recovery partition and that
>> has fixed the problem (obviously).
>>
>> The issue was that dispite having a stable connection to the network
>> via wireless (i.e MSN Messenger and Weather Eye were both working),
>> no web sites would load. I tried both IE and Firefox but to no
>> avail. Turning off AV and Firewall (not the Windows firewall)
>> did not help.
>>
>> Reloading should be (IMHO) a last resort, but this made no sense.
>> My connection was stable, and the "Diagnose connection problems"
>> via IE did not show me any problems.
>>
>> So my question to the Vista gurus is: Where and what can I look
>> for if I see this again? Spyware/Malware is always a possibility,
>> but would they cause NO web pages to load?
>>
>>
>>
>> --
>> Do you twitter? http://twitter.com
>> Do you want to be a cranky geek? http://www.crankygeeks.com/
>> Improving usenet: http://improve-usenet.org/
>> Mepis32 RLU #451587i,Vista and MacOSX
>
> Did you check event viewer to see if anything was happenning to shut down
> your http protocol?
> Did you try to ping a website using cmd?
>
Never thought to look at the event viewer (I'm a Unix guy, not Windows
enough to know all the steps). I did try a ping and it was fine.

--
Do you twitter? http://twitter.com
Do you want to be a cranky geek? http://www.crankygeeks.com/
Improving usenet: http://improve-usenet.org/
Mepis32 RLU #451587i,Vista and MacOSX

On 2008-10-22, Mick Murphy <> wrote:
<snip>

> For the Free version scroll down their page to either download from
> Download.com, or Major Geeks.com
>
> Download, install, and update.
>
Hi Mick,

This laptop belongs to my significnt other and I have asked her to
promise to run adaware at least once a week. I had installed SB S&D but
if it's not being used/run regularly, there's no point in even having it
installed.



--
Do you twitter? http://twitter.com
Do you want to be a cranky geek? http://www.crankygeeks.com/
Improving usenet: http://improve-usenet.org/
Mepis32 RLU #451587i,Vista and MacOSX